Heating system



Feb. 19, 1935. F. A. FURLONG HEATING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 27, 1933 (fie/denier fiarzcz's Far o/7 Patented Feb. 19, 1935 PATENT OFFICE HEATING SYSTEM Francis A. Furlong, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Autogas Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,871

8 Claims.

This invention relates to heating systems, especially domestic heating plants, and'is illustrated as embodied in novel fuel supplying and controlling means for a conversion gas burner.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a heating plant having a lighter for readily igniting the pilot, safety means which insures that the main burner fuel supply is shut off when the lighter is being used, so that there is no possibility of damage by an explosion caused by igniting the pilot at a time when the main burner is out but the main fuel supply is on.

In one desirable arrangement, the turning on of the fuel for the lighter automatically turns off I the fuel for the main burner. I prefer to use a single valve controlling both the main burner fuel supply and the fuel for the lighter, for example by using a valve having two positions in one of which the main burner is turned off and the lighter is turned on, and in the other of which the main burner is turned on and the lighter is turned off.

The pilot should be supplied with fuel independently of the position of the control valve, for example by connecting it to the fuel supply ahead of the control valve. I prefer to provide the pilot connection with its own shut-off valve which can be manipulated independently of the control valve, and which may if desired be adjustable to control the amount of fuel supplied the pilot.

I also find it convenient to provide the lighter with an easily-operated auxiliary manually-controlled valve, shown as of the push-button type, between the control valve and the pilot. If desired, a separate shut-off valve for the lighter may also be provided.

Another feature of the invention relates to providing means, such as a leakage past the pushbutton valve or its equivalent, so that while a match may be applied and the lighter ignited, the flame will not travel up to the pilot until the operator returns and opens this valve. In order to do this he must be far enough from the furnace to be safe in case, in spite of all precautions, something goes wrong and an explosion takes place when the pilot is ignited.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel combinations of parts and desirable particular constructions, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the heating plant and the fuel supply connections, partlybroken away to show the arrangement of the pilot and the lighter;

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional diagrams showing the effect of different valve positions; and

Fig. 4 is a view showing a detail of the pushbutton valve.

Theinvention is shown embodied in a heating plant 10 provided with a conversion gas burner 12 having a main burner 14 and supplied with fuel such as gas through a pipe connection 16 under the control of an automatic pressure regulator 18 and an automatic thermostatically-controlled valve 20. This particular conversion burner is more fully described, and some features of it are. claimed, in my prior application No. 679,521, filed July 8, 1933, and it is not my intention to claim herein any of the subject-matter of said prior application.

The main burner 14 is intended to be ignited, whenturned on by the automatic valve 20, by the flame of a pilot 22 which, as explained in said prior application, may be provided with thermostatically-controlled switch means 24 for closing the automatic valve if the. pilot goes out.

The pilot is inside of the heating plant 10, and in order that it may be conveniently ignited from the outside of the heating plant, I provide a lighter, shown as comprising an upwardly-inclined lighter tube 26, open along its lower side to admit air and receiving fuel at its lower end from a nozzle 28 and terminating adjacent the pilot 22.

The arrangement, structure, and mounting of the illustrated lighter tube are fully described in my prior application No. 695,248, filed October 26, 1933. It is not my intention to claim herein any subject-matter disclosed in said prior application; on the other hand the novel valve arrangement herein claimed may be used with other types of lighters.

- As shown in Figure 2, when fuel is turned on for the lighter, and a match is held below the lower end of the tube 26, outside of the heating plant 10, the flame travels up the inclined tube and ignites the pilot 22.

The supplying of fuel to the main burner connection 16, and to a connection 30 leading to the lighter, is according to the present invention correlated so that both connections cannot be open illustrated, a large cross passage 40 which opens communication between the main burner connection 16 and a main fuel supply pipe 42, when the handle is in one position, e. g. extending vertically downward as shown in Figure land in the diagram of Figure 3. 1

It also has a small passage 44 leading from passage 40 through one of its sides, at right angles to the passage 40. When the main burner connection 16 is connected to the fuel supply 42, as in Figure 3, the passage 44 is closed.

By turning the handle 3.6 to another position,

e. g. extending horizontally to the left as shown in the diagram of Figure 2, the main burner connection 16 is shut off and the small passage 44, with the passage 40, establishes communication between the fuel supply pipe 42 and the lighter connection 30.

The casing of the valve 32 is shown in Figure 1 provided with two shoulders 46 forming stops engaged by means such as a setscrew 48 carried by the valve member 34, thereby determining the two valve positions. It will be noted that if it is desired toshut off both connections 16 and 30, as in closing the heating plant down for the summer, this may be done by removing the setscrew 48 and turning handle 36 horizontally to the right, i. e. to the position 180 from the position of Figure 2.

In order that the control valve may be placed in the position of' Figure 2 without necessarily having a match all ready in lighting position, I prefer to provide an easily-manipulated auxiliary manually operated valve, shown as a springclosed push-button type poppet valve 50, in the connection 30 between the control valve 32 and the lighter. If desired, a rotatable shut-off valve 52 may also be provided.

According to one feature of the invention, the valve 50 or its equivalent may be formed with a notch 51 in one side as best shown in Fig. 4, or otherwise provided with a leakage which will permit the ignition of the gas at the bottom of the tube 26 while this valve is still closed, but which is not sufiicient in volume to carry the flame up the tube to the pilot. After igniting the lighter in this manner, the operator returns to the valve 50,'where heis at a'safe distance from the furnace no matter what happens, and opens that valve. The additional flow of gas carries the flame up the lighter tube 26 and ignites the pilot. However, even if something goes wrong in spiite of all precautions, the operator is at that time at a safe distance.

The pilot 22 should of course be connected to the fuel supply regardless of the position of the control valve 32. Accordingly I provide a pilot connection 54 for the pilot, leading from the fuel supply pipe 42 above (i. e. ahead of) the control valve 32. This connection is shown provided with a rotatable shut-01f valve 56, which may if desired be adjusted to increase or diminish the supply of fuel for the pilot 22.

While one illustrative embodiment has been de-' with fuel therethrough by said means, said control valve having one position in which the main burner is shut off and the lighter is turned on and another position -in which the main burner is v turned on and the lighter is turned off. i

the main burner is turned on or off, and a lighter' for the pilot connected to said valve to be supplied with fuel therethrough by said means, said control valve having one position in which the main burner is shut off and the lighter is turned on and another position in which the main burner is turned on and the lighter is turned off, said valve having a third position in which both the main burner and the lighter are turned off.

3. A heating apparatus having a fuel supply means, a main burner, ,a main control valve through which the burner is connected with said means, a pilot connected to saidmeans whether the main burner is turned on or oif, and a lighter for the pilot connected to said valve to be supplied with fuel therethrough by said means, said control valve having one position in which the main burner is shut off and the lighter is turned on and another position in wihch the main burner is turned on and the lighter is turned off, said lighter connection having an auxiliary manually-controlled valve having a constant leak.

4. A heating apparatus having a fuel supply means, a main burner," a main control valve through which the burner is connected with said means, a pilot connected to said means whether the main burner is turned on or off, and a lighter for the pilot connected to said valve to be supplied with fuel therethrough by said means, said control valve having one position in which the main burner is shut off and the lighter is turned on and another position in which the main burner is turned on and the lighter is turned off, said control valve having stops determining its two positions. e

5. A heating plant comprising in combination with a furnace having a side opening, a conversion burner including an elongated boxlike assembly extending through said opening and having a main burner and a pilot burner supported thereon within the furnace, fuel supply means for said burners including a valve operable to open and close communication to said main burner when in different positions without interfering with the supply of fuel to the pilot burner in either of said positions, and a lighter supported on said assembly and having one end inside the furnace adjacent the pilot'and having its other end outside the furnace at the outer end of said assembly and which is connected to be supplied with fuel by said valve when communication with the main burner is shut off thereby.

6. A heating plant comprising in combination with a furnace having a side opening, a conversion burner including an elongated boxlike assembly extending through said opening and having a main burner and a pilot burner supported thereon within the furnace, fuel supply means for said burners including a valve operableto open and close communication to said main bumer when in different positions without interfering with the supply of fuel to the pilot burner in either of said positions, and a lighter having one end inside the furnace adjacent the pilot and having its other end outside the furnace at the outer end of said assembly and connected to be supplied with fuel by'sald valve when communication with the main burner is shu off thereby, and a spring-pressed valve betw n the lighter and the first valve which is spring-pressed to one position in which just enough fuel is allowed to pass to permit the lighter to be ignited but not enough to cause the flame to travel through the lighter to the pilot, and which is adapted to be manually opened after the lighter is ignited, to permit sufficient fuel to pass to cause the flame to travel through the lighter to the pilot, thereby igniting the pilot.

'7. A heating plant comprising a furnace, a main burner in the furnace, a pilot burner in the furnace adjacent the main burner, fuel supply means for the burners, a valve controlling the supply of fuel to the main burner and located outside the furnace, a lighter extending from outside the furnace toadjacent the pilot burner, supply of fuel to said lighter being controlled by said valve said valve being so constructed and arranged that fuel can be supplied to the lighter only when no fuel is supplied to the main burner, and another valve controlling the supply of fuel to the lighter and located a. substantial distance therefrom.

' 8. A heating plant comprising a furnace, a main burner in the furnace, a pilot burner in the furnace adjacent the main burner, fuel supply means for the burners, a lighter for the pilot burner extending from outside the furnace to adjacent the pilotburner, means for simultaneously controlling the supply of fuel to the main burner and the lighter so constructed and arranged that when fuel is supplied to one no fuel is supplied to the other, and other means for controlling the supply of fuel to the lighter and having two positions in one of which enough fuel may be supplied to just permit ignition of the lighter and in the other of which enough fuel may be supplied to ,cause a flame to travel througlrthe lighter to the pilot burner.

FRANCIS A. FURLONG. 

